An NBA insider says that James Harden is unlikely to report to Sixers' training camp. How exactly does this saga play out from here?
According to Sam Amick of The Athletic (subscription required), James Harden has no plans to attend Philadelphia 76ers training camp.
This latest news comes after a report came out that the Sixers were unable to find a suitable trade offer for James Harden and, subsequently, plan on keeping him to start the 2023-24 NBA season.
Harden did opt-in to his contract with the 76ers because the team had planned on trading him to another franchise that did not have the salary cap flexibility to sign a player to a max contract outright in free agency, but could trade for Harden and extend him.
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Harden was unable to get a max contract from any real contenders. The truth is, he's a rapidly aging player in this league. Harden's game thrives off his athleticism and that skill is diminishing as he ages. According to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski, Harden would have accepted a long-term max deal from the Sixers if he was offered one.
Whether the Sixers should have offered him one is a different story. If Philadelphia wants to keep Joel Embiid long-term, having an aging superstar on their books will be a major negative asset that might end any hope of keeping the All-NBA big man.
Back to Harden, the All-NBA talent requested to be traded to the Los Angeles Clippers, but the franchise appears to have been unwilling to match the high demands made by the 76ers. With Daryl Morey manning the controls in Philadelphia, it's reminiscent of Ben Simmons' final days with the Sixers.
Simmons had no intention of playing with Philly either and also requested a trade. The Sixers were then able to get a superstar in return for the mercurial guard simply by showing patience and waiting until the trade deadline.
Given Morey's history in a similar situation, it's likely that he will continue to exhaust all avenues to get the most in return for Harden before the trade deadline. The catch-22 is that's the last point in which the Sixers could get anything in return for Harden in the final year of his contract.